Keisha groaned. Her head was foggy, and a sharp needle-like pain struck her temple.

“W-where am I?” Keisha asked. She tried moving, but her body was constrained tightly by a rope.

Someone moved against her back. “Keisha, you’re up. I’m grateful that you were not injured.”

Keisha blinked several times. “Cas, where are we? Where’s Celra?”

Keisha couldn’t see his entire face, but his body shook against her.

“I’m afraid after you were knocked out, they came for me. They knocked Celra out and left her. I couldn’t…I couldn’t do anything to stop them. I was told never to reveal myself, but I should have, and I’m sorry for that. We would not have been in this position otherwise.” His soft tone trembled.

“No, don’t apologize, Cas. You couldn’t have done anything. Let’s focus on getting out of here, and I know my friend Verona will come to look for us—where are the leopard and lion?”

“They left out of the cave some moments ago. They were talking about contacting the Black Hand to sell us off. I am unsure if they could do so.”

“They could be back any second to check on us. Cas, if I bend my leg toward you, do you think you can slide a dagger out from my pants leg?”

She could feel the heavy weight against her leg.

Keisha bent her leg and shifted until she was close to Cas’s reach. His hands removed the sheathed dagger and cut through the ropes that connected them.

Keisha heard the low growl from the two Demi’s coming back.

“They’re coming back,” Keisha hissed, hoping Cas would hide the weapon as best as he could while continuing to free them.

“Oh, good, the Earthborne is awake; took her long enough,” the leopard said. It jumped on the base of a tall rock and looked at her. “Had a good rest? Leo here doubted your capabilities as the Daughter of Dante.”

The Lion, Leo, grunted and barred its fangs. “You were concerned as well, Scav. What good is a Legacy if it’s dead? I figured two Alighieri’s would look good to the Black Hand even if she weren’t awake. And we finally caught one of them. They haven’t been seen in centuries.”

Keisha gasped when they mentioned ‘two’ Alighieri’s and wondered if these two knew about her mamma, but there was no way they’d spill anything if Keisha flat out asked.

“Okay, yeah, you caught us, so what?”

The two Demi’s turned to Keisha. “I mean, who’s saying that the Black Hand will even give you something in return? How do you know you can trust them?”

“What are you yapping about Earthborne?” Scav hissed at her.

“I hope you know where you are going with this,” Cas whispered.